Ranking the 10 best NFL head coach candidates in 2025

2. Mike Vrabel

Vrabel is arguably the top retread candidate available and his experience and prior NFL success could entice several teams. Vrabel was a first-team all-pro and three-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots before beginning his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Ohio State. Vrabel jumped to the NFL ranks as a defensive assistant with the Houston Texans before becoming head coach of the Tennessee Titans, going 54-45 across six seasons. The 49-year-old led the Titans to the AFC championship game in 2019 and was named NFL Coach of the Year as Tennessee earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2021. Vrabel’s old-school leanings are a contrast to some other top candidates during this cycle, but it’s hard to ignore his success. He’s a likely frontrunner for the Patriots job and may garner interest elsewhere.